5 mistakes that can stop you from making progress
You’ve tried to improve your flexibility but started to think it’s just not for you, because you haven’t been seeing any improvements despite the work you’ve put in. Frustrating, huh? Here are 5 mistakes people make that stop them from making progress – get on top of those and you will finally get the outcomes you desire.
1. You are not following a structured program
Most people understand that in order to get stronger, they need to follow a structured program that is targeted to the goals they are looking to achieve. They understand that randomly picking exercises or trying yet another drill that Instagram promised to be the ONLY one you need to finally become Schwarzenegger strong doesn’t work. Yet when it comes to flexibility training, they do just that. They jump from one exercise to another, not spending any time to really understand the intricacies of it or understanding what it really does for them. Flexibility training is no different to strength training - it requires structured training, a targeted program and consistency. If you don’t know where to start – which no one expects you to on your own – seek out a coach or a class, whether that is in person or online doesn’t matter and really depends on what you prefer or have access to where you live.
2. You are changing your exercises / stretches up too often
Following on from the above, it can be tempting to change the exercises every other week – whether that’s for variety or because someone feels that something didn’t work so they chuck that exercise out and try something different. Flexibility takes time to develop, and as long as you make progress on a drill there is no need to change it up. In fact, it’s going to be less beneficial than keeping at it. Some drills might stay in your programs for months without any changes at all, some might have minor tweaks to them (that can very much change the focus or outcome of said drill without replacing it altogether) and only if and when something needs to be changed it should be done. You do not need 10 different drills to improve your hamstring flexibility, pick the 2-3 that work for you at the point you’re at and work those consistently and continuously until they’ve yielded good results and another drill becomes more suitable for what you’re trying to achieve.
3. You’re lacking intent in the selection of exercises as well as in the execution
Improving your flexibility requires intent, in your choice of exercises but also in the way you execute them. Start by working out what your goal is, and then assess where you’re currently at and which areas of your body need to improve in what way in order to achieve that goal. Let’s say you want to improve your paddling for surfing – you will need a thoracic spine that extends and shoulders that can rotate, flex and extend. Which of those areas need addressing for you?
Once you have worked out your intention, you can choose the drills based on exactly what you need. The intent required when you actually execute each exercise is equally as important. Is this a stretch you want to be soft in and relax, or is it a drill focussed on building strength? Are you able to tell when you are set up correctly, and can you feel the area working? Are you tuning into your body and noticing the different sensations that come up, and how they compare to previous sessions? All this is valuable information that will help you adjust your training as needed to progress.
4. You are training with too little or too much intensity
When it comes to training intensity, I generally see 2 camps – the ones that cruise and do some gentle stretching without any real intensity, and the ones who just go hard and pretty much try and force their body into a certain position. Neither will help you achieve your flexibility goals. Most people I find are the former, they do a few relaxed stretches and expect their flexibility to improve. Unfortunately it is more complex than that, and we do need to at least at times train at intensity to see progress. This goes especially for the ones of us who are naturally stiff. Now there is a difference though between learning how to create tension and when to push, and outright trying to force your body into something by using weights that are too heavy or by constantly pushing. Your nervous system will very quickly get in the way of any gains. There is a balance to be found between the times we need to relax and be soft and the times we need to push, and it requires you to learn to gradually dial intensity up and down depending on the feedback your body gives you. The better you know the intent of the exercise and are able to connect with your body, the faster you will get there.
5. You are giving up too soon
It is very tempting to focus on the big lofty end goal and forget about the progress along the way. The thing is though, those big goals – while achievable – take time. Not 30 days kind of time, but rather 18+ month kind of time. So if you only look at getting to the end goal, your progress will feel like it’s non-existent. Visible changes require consistent input over a long period of time, but we can get impatient and think that it’s just not working. So we give up and focus our attention on the next shiny thing, only to get distracted again a short while later. Flexibility training requires an ability to look waaaaay ahead and an understanding that progress will happen gradually. More on this here (link to previous blog).
Once you’re on top of the above, I have no doubt you’ll be seeing improvements in your flexibility training and getting another step closer to your goals. Just don’t give up, and don’t be shy to ask for help if you need it.
Stay flexy,
Kat